When exploring any new place the best advice is to go where the locals go to eat. As we continue our culinary tour of Southwest Louisiana we want to share with you some restaurants and food venues the locals love. In Lake Charles, Louisiana there is some amazing seafood and Boudin here. The Gulf Coast seafood in Louisiana is so prolific that everyone has to up their game if they want any chance of staying in business. The people of Lake Charles have always known the value of locally sourced ingredients and down-home cooking makes this part of Louisiana so special. In no particular order here they are. Casual, delicious dining at Steamboat Bill's Steamboat Bill’s Seafood Restaurant is a local icon, with three locations in Louisiana, we visited the Lakeshore drive establishment in Lake Charles. Lunch here can be busy [...]

The talent behind Borgne, Chefs John Besh and Brian Landry The Hyatt Regency New Orleans has two secret weapons in this food centric city. Multiple award-winning Borgne, voted one of the top eight "must try'' hotel restaurants in the United States is a Spanish influenced dining experience headed up by Chef John Besh and Chef Brian Landry. The philosophy here is Louisiana fresh Gulf seafood and it does not get any better than that. The Spanish influence goes back to when Louisiana was indeed a Spanish territory. But make no mistake, the menu here also offers traditional Louisiana cuisine including but not limited to oysters, shrimp, gumbo and turtle soup spiked with sherry. As I mentioned earlier fresh seafood is the strong suit of Borgne, on the menu you'll find garlic clove Louisiana shrimp with tomatoes, roasted eggplant and Fregola a round pasta similar to Israeli Couscous. Garlic [...]

Freshly caught Gulf fish served at Jack Daniel's Bar & Grill Tucked away in the southwest corner of Louisiana is a food lovers paradise. Consistently fresh seafood with an easy hospitality and Cajun influence all come together to equal more than the sum of it’s parts. Lake Charles, located in Calcasieu Parish, is a melting pot of French, African, and German immigrants that is purely reflected in it’s food culture. The food here shows the struggles of the people, and how so many of the food traditions have been handed down and melded through the generations. Cajun country people are frugal, and nothing goes to waste. In fact over time the recipes haven’t changed all that much, and they don’t have to as they remain classics. Nearly everything that I tried, was for the very first time, and I [...]

The Hyatt Regency New Orleans offers it’s guests a bit of sanctuary in the Big Easy. This AAA four diamond property is centrally located in the heart of this exciting city in fact the Loyola streetcar route running right in front of the hotel. When you think of New Orleans, you think Jazz. The Hyatt offers free live Jazz on Friday and Saturday nights from 7pm to 10pm at the 8 Block Bar, no reservations needed. Featuring local musicians, you’ll appreciate this great way to take in the music that made this city famous without having to leave the comfort of the Hyatt. 8 Block Restaurant In a dynamic food city like New Orleans, you have to provide first class food to get the attention and the Hyatt has hit a home run here. I had the opportunity to sample some outstanding sushi [...]

In honor of our amazing visit to New Orleans and especially a thank you to our gracious hosts at The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans, I just had to share with you one of the many special local treats; the Praline that The Ritz-Carlton offers in it’s Club Level, a hotel within the hotel. The club level offers unsurpassed service that includes “continuous culinary offerings daily. Complimentary wine, beer and cocktails. A dedicated concierge staff on hand to personalize your stay, a 24-hour 'grab and go' station for your convenience, and a remarkably spacious layout including a salon, library and parlor, plus a 24-hour Business Center”. The warm and welcoming guest rooms transport you to the beautiful garden district with the well-appointed and thoughtful design, expansive windows and a large comfortable bath area featuring imported rose marble. Another unique feature of the club level is your private [...]

Jody Menche is winding his fishing boat motor up after slowing to take one of the steep turns he warns could dump us into the swamp. “Look over there” he yells out over the motor’s din, ” that’s part of the lie the oil and gas company told us.” We all turn our heads toward an eyesore of a built up block of rusting pipes guessing that whatever “they” came for here has been taken and all used up. In the 1940′s, in the name of progress and job creation, the gas company sold the locals a bill of goods. As Jody says, “They could have done better, to leave something for our kids. They made enough.” Sadly what is left is the story repeated all over the world when natural environments and ecosystems are exploited for profit and never made whole. Now as Jody says, [...]

Poche's makes the very best Louisiana style pralines; take home some as an edible souvenir. St. Martin's Parish boasts some really great food. Acadian, Cajun and creole influences are certainly evident in their sweets and condiments in addition to their sublime Etouffee, fried okra and cornbread. Poche's Praline made right in their market with adjoining restaurant where you can get a taste of traditional Cajun plate lunch, is popular. In fact pick up the pralines, crawfish boil and bottles of tasty garlic sauce, used around here like Tabasco in their market to take home. www.cajuncountry.org http://www.pochesmarket.com